


Holy Orders (Be Just or Be Dead)

by fabflyingfox, iwaizumemes (skytramp), snuggy4589



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Blood, Body Horror, M/M, Mind Control, Mutilation, Psychological Horror, Rot and decay, injuries to ankles/feet, injuries to hands, puncturing skin, tags are just to be safe but not explicit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-08
Updated: 2015-10-08
Packaged: 2018-04-25 11:47:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4959481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fabflyingfox/pseuds/fabflyingfox, https://archiveofourown.org/users/skytramp/pseuds/iwaizumemes, https://archiveofourown.org/users/snuggy4589/pseuds/snuggy4589
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tanaka Ryuunosuke, Nishinoya Yuu, and five other orphans were both blessed and cursed with the weight of dispelling a holy war young in life. Years later the seven of them find that this weight has given them the power to fight in the Heaven Wars that are wreaking havoc in their world, and the demons that have cursed them are coming for them one by one. Nishinoya has always been a firm believer that they have a say in what side they fight for, but when the demon claiming Tanaka arrives first, is the bond between Tanaka and Nishinoya strong enough to save him from servitude? </p>
<p>This is the first installment of an AU series, to be updated.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Holy Orders (Be Just or Be Dead)

**Author's Note:**

> This was Team Nishinoya Yuu/Tanaka Ryuunosuke's Main Round 2 Entry for SASO 2015.
> 
> Writing: Alistair, Coilyn, Laura
> 
> Art: Nico, Laura, Alistair

There was something foreboding about the darkness that surrounded their church; the only lights, high in its rafters, shining in a world of pitch black. Tanaka, Ennoshita, and Futakuchi guarded at the threshold of the double doorway. Ennoshita scanned the terrain before them as three shadows began to take form: teeth clashing, limbs sprawling, crawling frantically toward the church the boys were ready to protect.

“We can’t let them in!!” Nishinoya yelled from within the walls of the smaller foyer and the three nodded their responses.

“Right.”

“You got it.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

The first thing tried to wedge itself in between Tanaka and Ennoshita, slapping Ennoshita and Tanaka both in the face with winged arms. Something within Ennoshita snapped and he barrelled over the demon’s form, punching it repeatedly in the face as he saw red.The second demon lunged for the doorway between Tanaka and Futakuchi, digging its clawed feet into Tanaka’s shoulder, Tanaka hissed in pain. Futakuchi stared intently at the claws as he slowly peeled it off Tanaka’s shoulder, then humming to himself as he swung the demon- by the foot- into the concrete below them, brought it up again, and swung it down with increasingly brutal force.

Tanaka stumbled backwards with blood seeping down his arm and chest. Kinoshita walked past him toward the third demon that followed Tanaka into foyer of the sanctuary. He tapped it on the forehead, sighing softly as the demon fell to the ground. Nishinoya and Yahaba closed the outer doors behind them as Tanaka crawled backward into the room. Narita placed his hands on the wound, mending and healing the skin of Tanaka’s shoulder.

Minutes later Kinoshita knocked on the door. “Coast is clear, guys. Come on out and have a look.”

The seven of them joined together to search the creatures for any valuable information or gear.

“This doesn’t add up,” Yahaba bent down over a demon whose face Ennoshita had beaten to a pulp, “You would think they would put up more of a fight if they were trying to kill us- or anyone for that matter.”

“You think he was telling the truth?” Futakuchi scoffed as he crossed his arms. “Never trust a demon, Yahaba.”

“Listen, I’m not saying we can’t be wary. Demons aren’t trustworthy, but sometimes there’s truth in their words.”

Tanaka nodded solemnly. His thoughts clouded over, jumbled with the events of recent months and the growing swarms of demons. The Heaven Wars were approaching.

 

\---

 

They didn’t remember much from that first battle, only bits that Father Takeda told them- and he always softened it, afraid to share details. They knew they had parents once and that those parents were gone. They knew that these powers, these sins and virtues that felt almost as natural as breathing now, were a combination of blessings and curses, accidents piled on attempted cures, and nothing was fixed.

Takeda taking them in were some of their first memories. They remembered sitting in a circle while he taught them about the world, about how ancient wars between the heavens and earth had risen again, how the fates chose champions, those who could stand for humanity, fight alongside the deities. They never really thought that those Chosen would be them, they were just misfits, screwed up orphans with messed up heads.

 

\---

 

Tanaka always knew he was a bit different from the rest of the boys, he always wanted things more intensely. He had thrown the most fits when they were children, and he had been the first to discover that touching yourself felt amazing. The discovery of his power, though coincidental, also happened because of that.

He was a teenager, it was totally normal to be thinking about things like kissing and sex. The only problem was he thought about it all the time, even when he was doing chores with Nishinoya. They were supposed to be mopping up the back room, cleaning up messes the boys had made, and Tanaka couldn’t stop thinking terrible things about Nishinoya’s arms.

The way he gripped the mop, that perfect hold and those slim fingers- Tanaka bit his lip and tore his gaze away, aggressively pushing his mop into the dirty floor to avoid the thoughts. Nishinoya was his best friend, he couldn’t betray him by using him as fodder for his fantasies. The thoughts persisted as he glared down at the mop. He was holding it so tight, tight enough to bruise if it had been a person. Noya’s soft skin with his hands imprinted on his hips… His neck covered in hickeys.

He bumped into something behind him, pulling him from his thoughts. “Oof.” Oh shit, he thought, that was a person sound. He whipped around and saw Nishinoya on his knees. They’d hit each other’s backs, and he’d fallen.

“Shit, sorry. You okay?” Tanaka dropped down beside him, frowning when he saw how his eyes were glazed over… Sort of how Ennoshita’s got sometimes, weird. Tanaka touched his shoulder then froze: he was suddenly viewing an entirely different scene. He was looking down at himself, then surging forward, capturing his own lips in an aggressive kiss and sliding his hands all over his body.

Except, he felt smaller than normal. His hands were… Oh. Oh god. Was this Noya’s fantasy? He was sliding his hands up under Tanaka’s shirt and biting at his lips with such need and ferocity that it surprised him. Nishinoya moved down to suck and nip at the skin of his neck while grinding his hi-

They both suddenly jerked away from each other and Tanaka took in the scene around them.

They both sat on the wet floor, their mops abandoned, and he was doing his best to avoid actually looking over at Nishinoya. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Nishinoya glance at him, wide eyed, before running off faster than he’d thought he could move. Well, fuck.

 

\---

 

The stillness around the sanctuary had all of them on edge. They knew that, at any moment, another wave of demons could appear and they would have to fight them off. A second wave had hit them harder than the first, leaving most of the team’s morale low as Kinoshita shut the doors. Futakuchi and Ennoshita shoved a wooden pew in front of them, giving them an illusion of security to placate the worried look on Yahaba’s face.

“How are we supposed to fight this?” Tanaka’s voice rasped out as Narita focused more of his healing into his left arm.

“We can’t last indefinitely. There’s a possibility that the next wave will knock us out.” Yahaba agreed solemnly. They sat in silence for a moment.

“...Bullshit.” Nishinoya muttered, and Tanaka looked straight into his eyes, glistening with emotion “We can do this!”

“Noya…”  


“Ryuu.” Nishinoya cupped Tanaka’s face with both hands. “They never would have come back, they never would have tried to recruit us in their bullshit heaven war, if we weren’t valuable.”

“Noya’s got a point,” Kinoshita yawned.

“We’re all valuable and they need us! We can use that against them!” He let go of Tanaka’s face and gestured to the rest of the group, standing and looking into everyone’s eyes in turn, “I’m going to keep fighting, no matter what, even if I stare death directly in the face. And I hope you guys will be with me.”

Tanaka stared up at Nishinoya, tears forming in the corners of his eyes at the amount of faith he had in the entire team.

“All right then.” Yahaba smiled wickedly. “So what’s the plan?”

 

\---

 

It was early in the spring after Nishinoya’s 18th birthday when Narita whispered something to Kinoshita about healing a wounded bird, sounding bright and prouder than normal. It should have been ridiculous, but Nishinoya overheard with rapt fascination. What Kinoshita had said back sounded even more strange: he took energy from people? Kinoshita always looked bored, half asleep even, but Noya noticed how others got tired around him too.

It took two weeks of furious whispering, the type of gossip that a small church full of teenage boys was prone to, before they spoke everything aloud.

Tanaka never said what his powers were, only that they existed, and the stern look on his face dissuaged any arguments. Noya didn’t think he had any powers at all, but the others spoke of how he inspired them, how, if anything had power, it was his voice, his belief. He knew he wished he had more, he wanted more, he always wanted things he couldn’t have.

They’d all seen evidence of Ennoshita’s anger, and equal evidence of his self control to harness it. Futakuchi was brave, almost recklessly so, his appetite for adrenaline, among other things, was never satisfied. Yahaba’s caution and planning was legendary,pranks weren’t pulled without his advice, but the knowledge that he could manipulate envious feelings in others was new and unsettling.

They began to train, they didn’t know for what, but the idea that they were special, that maybe they were like the Chosen in Father Takeda’s old stories, was exciting. Fighting in the Heaven Wars sounded like a dream, battling deities, being great warriors, it all sounded better than being a bunch of weird, messed up kids.

They learned to fight, first with fists, and then with any weapons they could find or make. It wasn’t much, but it was strenuous, and all their spare time was spent breathing heavily and creating new batches of bruises for Narita to heal away.

Tanaka and Noya’s fistfights always devolved into a form of aggressive grappling, wrestling on the ground in the name of training. Noya was sweating and panting as he pinned Tanaka down, he let out a triumphant cry and pressed him into the dirt.

“Gotcha!”

Tanaka cackled and used his hips to push up, he followed the momentum and flipped them both, pinning Noya in return.

“Nope!”

Noya struggled against him and tried to get Tanaka’s leg in a hold, using the bit of judo he knew. Tanaka reached down to press at his thigh, scrabbling at his fingers to keep him from getting a grip. Noya’s movement grew more jerky as he moved, panting harder as they struggled.

Tanaka didn’t realize what happened until Noya dropped back against the ground, completely spent with a flush on his cheeks and neck, still half-in Tanaka’s hold. Tanaka blushed and pulled back.

“N-Noya?” The smaller boy just blushed, and Tanaka quickly stood and backed away. “Shit. Sorry. Did I…? Fuck. Sorry.” He ran off before Noya had a chance to respond.

 

\---

 

The sun sank low in the sky, and the churchyard was almost too dark for them to continue their training. It had been months, months of sparring without a goal in mind other than to harness some sort of potential they felt within themselves.

Nishinoya wiped his forehead with his forearm, muscles shaking from near exhaustion. “We should finish up,” he called out, directing his voice to the entire group, “I never thought I’d be the first to get tired.”

“You weren’t the first.” Tanaka said, looking pointedly at Kinoshita, who sat, cross-legged with his back against the fence and his eyes closed.

“He doesn’t count.” He laughed, and Tanaka agreed with a nod. The others were still sparring, and even Narita had his arms up in front of him, protecting his body while Yahaba threw half-hearted punches.

A figure walked into the yard. The gate hadn’t so much as rattled, and Tanaka spun at the sound of footsteps across the dry late-summer grass.

They were dressed in a deep brown trenchcoat, the color of mud, that covered their body from neck to mid-calf. His face, and it appeared to be a man, was plain, sharp black brows over deepset eyes, but they seemed to glint with something other than the setting sun.

“Who’re you?” Noya called, crossing his arms across his chest, the way he did when he was trying to be intimidating. At the yell, Ennoshita and Futakuchi straightened up, stopping their match.

The man zeroed in on Tanaka, eyes not wavering as he crossed the yard to stand in front of him. Tanaka didn’t move. He stood his ground in a way he would have thought looked brave, if it weren’t for the subtle shaking in his fingers that Noya noticed.

“Who I am is of less importance than who you are.” His voice was low, deep and attractive in a way that made Noya look at his face again, as if expecting his features to have changed into something more handsome. His words had been directed to Tanaka, and he looked down at him with an unsettling leer.

Noya waited for Tanaka to speak, and the others seemed to be waiting for something as well, but Tanaka seemed unable, rather than unwilling, to respond.

“Well I know who he is and I don’t know who the hell you are.” Noya said, breaking the silence that was falling around them.

A look of annoyance crossed the man’s face, and he took a step away from Tanaka reluctantly, who visibly relaxed at the separation.

“My name is unimportant, and you would not understand if I spoke it to you. Suffice it to say he belongs to me; my property by right and blessing. If you must call me something, you may call me... Desire.”

“Lust.” Yahaba spat and the man turned towards him sharply.

“Among other names, yes.” He took a deep breath and turned back to Tanaka, “So you know me, then, and you know this boy is mine.”

“I ain’t yours,” Tanaka said, speaking for the first time.

Lust laughed, and it echoed through the yard; the sound sent shivers down Noya’s spine. “You’re mine, and you will want to be mine. Do you know, boy, how powerful I can make you? Surely you’ve got some gift, I can smell it in your blood, it calls to me. If you joined me, fought with me, as a partner, you could be so much more.”

“Don’t listen to him.” Ennoshita said; his voice was low, and Noya could see the glazed look that meant he was holding his temper in check, though just barely.

Lust ignored him. “I need you. And you need me, as well. Come with me, and I’ll give you everything you could ever desire. I can see what you want, and you could easily have it. I only need your strength for the upcoming battle.”

Tanaka didn’t answer, and his eyes flicked between Lust and where Noya stood, nearly vibrating with rage.

“Tanaka,” Noya said, clenching his teeth. “You don’t need him. And you don’t belong to anyone.” But me, a voice inside him added. “All of us need to stay together. I don’t care if he thinks you’re some sort of Chosen, you don’t belong with him. Believe in us.” It didn’t sound so great anymore, fighting for Heaven, especially if they didn’t know which side they were on.

Tanaka seemed to change then, his resolve no longer wavering, and he crossed his arms. “Nope, weird-desire-lust thing, I ain’t yours, like I said. And I’m not working for you. I’m staying here. And I think it’s time you left.”

Lust took a step back, a look of feigned hurt crossing his face, and he spread his hands as if showing innocence. “As you wish,” he said, “I am not through pursuing you, boy, you will be mine, and you will come willingly, eventually.”

He turned and walked away, headed towards the yard gate. He faded into the encroaching night before he even reached it; the gate never made a sound.

 

\---

 

The doors blew open, and the boys dove for cover. The pews that had been blocking the doors splintered and flew, sending shrapnel through the air. The room was silent after the initial burst, save for the muffled sound of Lust’s footsteps on the carpet, walking in a steady rhythm matching the pounding of Tanaka’s heart.

Lust’s arms were outstretched, the trenchcoat he’d worn previously now hanging open as Nishinoya peaked around the pew he hid behind. He saw, to his horror, that the body of Lust was nothing shy of grotesque; a body of writhing limbs wrapping over and over each other. Some of the limbs looked fresh with glowing skin, others look faded and drained but still moving.

“Tanaka Ryuunosuke, come out, my child,” Lust beckoned, his voice deep and dripping with threat, “Do not make me resort to violence.”

Tanaka continued to hide behind the stone altar of the sanctuary, barely controlling his ragged breathing and denying the reality of the situation with his eyes squeezed shut.

Silence.

“...As you wish.” Lust flipped a pew with two of his writhing limbs. A third shot out and grabbed Narita, raising him high in the air by his throat, “Do tell me, son of Pride, will you die first?”

Narita struggled to breathe, his face going red, as Lust tilted his head to the side and crooned with a blissful smile on his face. “...No, not of Pride. Son of Charity, may no virtue go unpunished…”

“Leave him alone!” Tanaka rose, vaulting over the stone altar and landing squarely on his feet. His fingernails dug into the palm of his free hand, and he held a club to his side. “It’s me you want. Drop him him right now, and don’t you dare touch any of my friends again.”

Nishinoya stared fearfully at Tanaka, mortified at his words and the way he stepped closer to Lust. We promised we wouldn’t let them take us - ANY of us - especially you. I won’t let them take you from me, from us, from anyone.

“Oh, child.” Lust turned his gaze to Tanaka, “You had your chance.”

“It’s still my chance.” Tanaka retorted indignantly. The others will have their summons, they’ll all come, I’m just first, “You want me, come and get me.”

“You know just what I like to hear.” Lust licked his lips, and the hand holding Narita shifted slightly, moving so that he was held by his shoulder instead of his throat, “You will fight for us, our chosen, and you, Tanaka Ryuunosuke, will be my finest warrior.” 

With you by my side, I do not plan to be vanquished again, Lust thought.

“You make me want to hurl.”

Nishinoya rose to his feet, staring intently at Tanaka as he approached. He took his hand, squeezing it as he directed his gaze toward Lust. “You have to be insane to believe we won’t go without a fight.” Nishinoya closed his eyes, took a deep breath and nodded. “So what if we get bruised? So what if we bleed? If I have to be hospitalized for the rest of my existence, but I can take you out, I’ll do it! If we can take all your demons out, I’m going to fight until my lungs collapse!”

“And you,” Nishinoya turned and pulled Tanaka down to peck him on the lips, “Kick his ass, and then all the other godly asses, one after the other. No one is taking us apart, and no one will ever make us do things we don’t want to do!”

Nishinoya’s words resonated through the sanctuary, and Lust began to chuckle.

“Fool.” Lust curled one of his many fingers at Tanaka and Nishinoya, and their vision swam; he pulled them into a trance, leaving them outwardly paralyzed. He weaved together an illusion for them to share, focusing on the image as it turned from one of ecstasy to tearing them apart.

Within the illusion, Tanaka and Nishinoya were bound by a prison of limbs holding them too tightly for them to move.

“Noya, I’m sorry.” Tanaka blinked tears out of his eyes. “You’ve always had too much faith in me.”

“Ryuu.” Nishinoya stared lovingly back as a single tear fell from his eye. “There’s no such thing.”

The void of the illusion spread, pulling the two of them apart. Pain circulated through their bodies as Lust smiled with glee at the fun was having.

With Lust’s concentration fixed on Tanaka and Nishinoya, Kinoshita rose from a pew behind him with Yahaba at his side. Ennoshita and Futakuchi flanked the creature, ready to hold him the moment Kinoshita placed both his hands on Lust’s neck, pulling his strength as he pressed in. Yahaba began the demon seal Father Takeda had taught him, remembering the details he’d learned over the years since they gained their powers.

As Lust weakened, Narita fell from his grasp and collapsed on the floor in a fit of coughs and wheezing. Yahaba finished the incantation, and Narita stood on shaky feet. He placed a hand on Tanaka’s forehead and then Nishinoya’s, gently soothing away the mental illusion and bringing them to reality, like waking them from a dream.

“HOW DARE YOU!” Lust boomed, frozen to the floor. Multiple limbs flew from his torso, throwing Ennoshita and Futakuchi off of him and into opposite walls. One slapped Kinoshita into Yahaba, disrupting the final banishment spell.

“Rise Succubi!” Lust bellowed. Multiple shadows spawned from the corners of the battered sanctuary and raced toward the boys.

“Are you ready to even the score, Nishinoya?” Narita asked, his voice scratchy. He grinned as he pulled Nishinoya’s pole staff off his back and tossed it into his waiting hands.

“I’m getting the most kills.” Nishinoya smirked back as he ran at the first swarm of succubi. He twirled his staff, making definite hits and dodging claws.

“Too bad, because I am this time.” Narita picked up his axe, discarded on the pew he’d hidden behind, and swung it clean through a set of succubi grabbing for him.

“Show-offs,” Tanaka scoffed. Kinoshita and Tanaka rushed Lust, Tanaka clubbing succubi in their path and Kinoshita dazing them with a touch of his hand, leaving them open for Tanaka’s swings.

Yahaba struggled to rise to his feet as a succubus dug its claws into his heels. Futakuchi and Ennoshita charged through swarms, tearing them apart to get to Yahaba.

Lust threw his limbs, tossing the two fighters like ragdolls. Each time it made Ennoshita and Futakuchi see more red, hunger for more bloodshed. On the third swipe by Lust’s arm, Futakuchi bit down and tore at the flesh, freeing himself and taking one of Lust’s limbs with him. Ennoshita grabbed the detached arm from Futakuchi and used it to beat the appendage reaching for Yahaba, batting it away while he pulled another one off Lust’s body.

Tanaka reached Lust at last, club swinging wildly and beating away limb after limb as he closed the distance to make a definite strike toward Lust’s head. An arm reached out, clothed in the leather of his trenchcoat, and grabbed Tanaka by the neck, lifting until his feet hovered over the ground.

“You will not win.” Lust smiled fanatically.

“So what if I win?” Tanaka huffed, “Where justice isn’t served there is always hope.”

Kinoshita’s hands pressed onto Lust’s arm and his hand weakened. Tanaka fell and swung his club down hard on the crown of Lust’s head. His body crumbled to the floor and the succubi evaporated. The seven boys circled Lust, bloodied and battered, reciting together with Yahaba the final seal to banish Lust for good.

Out of breath, bloody, and sweaty, they clung together. Tanaka and Nishinoya’s knuckles were white with the tightness of their grip on each other’s hands. They all knew this wouldn’t be the last of them, but they had done it once, they could do it again, and better. They would stay together and they would not let themselves be used as pawns in some stupid war. They are all their own people- and they belonged together. 


End file.
